


A Kiss Returned

by Hold_en



Series: More than just a kiss [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Sex, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Forbidden Love, POV Hermione Granger, POV Severus Snape, Severus Snape Lives, Sexy Times, Taboo, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 05:24:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19144435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hold_en/pseuds/Hold_en
Summary: Graduation is on the near horizon for Hermione Granger and she knows that she needs to act in order to win the affections of her taciturn professor, Severus Snape.Part 3 of the "Kiss Promised" series. You should read those before this or you won't understand everything!





	A Kiss Returned

 

It was mid- April almost a full two months after the events of Valentine's that the first letter arrived. 

Severus was munching on toast when the post came sailing in overhead. Over the sounds of the banal chatter of excited students, Severus glanced up out of habit. He was surprised when an envelope with his name came fluttering down beside his plate.

He had been driven to distraction as of the last month. His mind continually drawn back to that evening in the pub. The beautiful mystery woman and the polyjuice. At first he'd been paranoid, convinced it was Rita Skeeter playing at something. He hadn’t left his chambers for two weeks and planned how he would escape into the night if anything was brought forward.

But when those two weeks passed without a mention of him in any wizarding paper he had come to the conclusion that perhaps he wasn't being played with. There came to him the creeping thought that a woman had simply _wanted_ him.

The thought had pleased him immensely, even if he knew what the motivation had been. He was a war hero after all -  he knew why the witches wanted a leg up with an Order of Merlin recipient. But after that evening he had to admit he had enjoyed the attention, regardless of the motivation.

In the subsequent months he had found himself being less intense during classes. He occasionally went out with the other Professors to the _Three Broomsticks_ when they asked if he wanted to join them for a night cap. And on four separate occasions he had gone out to one of the bars on _Knockturn Alley_ independently and actually responded to the flirtation thrown his way.  The women that tried to chat him up with were all fur and no knickers of course, and yet he couldn’t help finding this new part of his life… Intriguing.

And now he was sitting at the Head Table, looking out at the sea of students when the envelope landed with a soft crinkle of parchment beside his right hand. He glanced over to it boredly, raising his brow a fraction in surprise. When he viewed his name written in the familiar script he tensed.  The writing was instantly familiar.

_The Valentine Woman._

Blood rushed into one specific location and he was instantly grateful for his robes. He squirmed a bit in his chair before folding the missive with swift precision. He was paranoid that some of the others around him might see.

"Anything of interest?" Filius asked beside him conversationally. It wasn't unusual for the staff to get post, usually academic. He raised a pale blue envelope between them.  “I’m afraid all I got was a note from my mum claiming I’m a horrid son who doesn’t visit enough.”

"A dull correspondence for me," Snape replied casually. He slipped the note into the pocket if his robes. He didn't elucidate. Filius nodded and began to open the small parcel next to his breakfast dishes.

Severus glanced over to see that the rest of the staff were engrossed in either breakfast or their own post. A large part of him wanted to rush to the dungeons immediately to read the note. But he had classes to teach and so it would have to wait.

He let his gaze wander lazily around the great Hall. Several students were laughing loudly. He noted with pride that his Slytherin students seemed to be acting with decorum. They were steely eyed and quiet as they ate their meals with a reserved dignity

Unwittingly his eyes drifted over the variety of colored heads until they landed on a certain student. The student that had been his torture these last few months. Ever since his uncomfortable revelation with the woman at the room in the pub. He inwardly winced, feeling like a pervert of the highest order. She was talking with the Weasley girl. Her cheeks pinked and her smile wide.

He forced himself to look away, his thoughts on the solitary piece of parchment in his pocket.

***

Hermione fairly skipped to Ancient Runes that day, her smile contagious with everyone she passed by. Even Ginny had commented on how cheery her friend appeared and Hermione had almost laughed aloud at the observation.

She would have made a crap spy. She was rubbish at keeping her emotions completely concealed. Even now she was humming to herself gently as she walked down the long and winding corridor. She was a bit early, so she could take her time getting there.

This morning at breakfast had been delightful, if not a bit stressful. Organizing the entire thing had been a bit mad, but seeing Snape’s reaction to the letter had been worth it. She’d been watching him through her curtain of hair, internally giggling as he raised a brow at it.

When she saw him pocket it, she knew that he would read it. Snape didn’t suffer fools gladly. She had made an impact on him that night in February. The thrill of that evening caused her to break out into gooseflesh. How often had she replayed that night over in her mind? How many times had she reached climax by her own hand, recalling the sweet furrow of his brow as he came?

She had torn her gaze over to Ginny, fearful that Snape would see her staring and catch on. They had passed the rest of the meal laughing and talking about their weekend plans. Ginny would be going to visit Harry and Hermione would be going to visit Viktor. She had an idea for a final Defense Against the Dark Arts project and he was the perfect person to interview.

When Ginny had chided Hermione that their romance may spark anew and how would her secret Valentine paramour feel about this, Hermione had simply given the girl an enigmatic smile. If only Ginny knew which tall and dark man was truly at the forefront of her mind!

“No running in the halls, Miss Granger.”

She tripped as his voice fell over her in an oily cloud. She didn’t need to look behind her to know that it was Snape following closely behind her.  She tensed a moment, surprised at his choice in direction. She turned slightly, her eyes just catching the corner of his shoulder.

"I wasn't running, sir."

"Skipping then," Snape sneered as he continued past her. "A fine way for a Head Girl to act. Five points for immaturity."

Hermione said nothing back. She knew that there would be little point in doing so. She had long stopped sitting at the windows to wait for him as he walked to class. She had even stopped the subtle flirtatious way of smiling at him during meals. She knew that it had been all wrong – it was the silly, mooning stuff she would have tried with Gilderoy Lockheart if she'd been brave enough to attempt it.

Snape was better than that –he needed to be seduced. So she had thought long and hard about how she would continue in this. And when her plan slowly formed she found herself distractedly in the library thinking up the best way to go about it. And her first step had been distancing herself from him these past few months.

It seemed to be working. He barely seemed to acknowledge her and in a strange way this pleased her. She wanted to be flying underneath the man's radar for it to work.  And so now she lowered her head respectfully and gathered her books tightly against her robed chest.

“Yes, sir.”

He strode past her, not even slowing his gait by a fraction. Hermione casually moved to the other side of the corridor, giving him space to move past her. Snape didn’t slow down then, nor did he give her so much as a backwards glance as he bustled ahead of her and turned the corner. But Hermione didn’t mind in the least.

She had a plan for making Severus Snape hers.

***

_Dearest Severus,_

_I hope this letter finds you well. I'm sure receiving a letter from me, of all people, after the horrid way I left you on St. Valentine’s is quite unpleasant and I apologize for not writing sooner. I had to think long and hard on how I would successfully contact you next. I beg of you not to toss this note into the fire as you undoubtedly would love to do._

_Please understand that I know you. I've indeed met you. You are aware of my existence and because of such I knew you'd never consider a relationship. I also know that you are brilliant and funny and that few actually know the true you. I think you’re marvelous._

_Why you wouldn't care to pursue me is a rather complicated matter but you should know that I am of legal age, good health and can carry on decent conversation in a variety of subjects. We are quite similar in disposition and I believe that we would make a fine pair.  I’m not talking of marriage of course, but perhaps the beginning of a romance._

_So then why the secrecy you may ask? The Polyjuice? Why did I rush from you that night? I can answer all of those things, but only if you desire it.  I would like for us to maintain a correspondence for three months. If after those three months you find that you would like to meet in person, I would obviously be delighted. If you wish never to meet, I will respect that wish as well.  
_

_I ask that in our correspondence that we be truthful in all things. I will answer your questions and it is my hope that you will answer mine.  To ensure that our letters are not compromised, I have taken the liberty of setting it with a recognition ink as well as a parchment sealing spell.  
_

_I have acquired a letter box in Hogsmeade where I ask that you have my letters delivered. I have done so anonymously and would ask that you not try to uncover who I am until the time is right. You are an accomplished spy and I’m sure it wouldn’t take much for you to unearth my true identity. But I’m trusting you to know that when I ask this of you, that I am doing so with purpose._

_If you have any stipulations you would like to add, please send them back to me at your earliest convenience.  However, if you want me to leave you alone forever I will cease sending you letters and take myself completely out of your life. But I urge you to truly consider my proposition because I'm quite besotted with you._

_With affection,_

_Kia_

Snape re-read the parchment three times before he leaned back in the large wingback chair before the fire. It was almost ten p.m. and he’d finally allowed himself a small glass of elf-made wine and a chance to read the missive that had been burning a hole in his robes.

Kia. A unique name to be sure and not one that readily sprang to mind. He might have taught a Kia when he first started as a Professor here, but that was many years ago. And now that he thought of it, he was fairly certain she spelt it with a “C”.

She didn't sound like a vapid chit and she most certainly sounded as if she had thought of things from all angles.  Who could it be? A shopgirl from Hogsmeade? One of his colleagues? None of them seemed to fit.  Was it someone he’d fought with? Someone he’d met during his Order of Merlin acceptance?

_You are aware of my existence._

He recalled from the letter this ominous sentence. Aware of her existence wasn’t the same as knowing someone, was it?  This sounded like someone he may have known in passing – perhaps a shopkeeper? Could it be Madame Rosemerta? No, she had mentioned something the last few weeks about a strapping young lad she was seeing. But then who could it be?

Could it have been one of the Healers at St. Mungo’s who had helped nurse him back to life after the snake attack? There was so many options that went through his mind. He brought the tapered glass to his lips and drank deeply.

He had no information to go on. He had no idea what the true intentions were of this author. He wished he could believe that she (or he for all he knew). But in his mind he truly hoped for the former. If she was to be believed, she was healthy, of legal age and intelligent. This already sounded fine by Severus.

She was also not Hermione Granger, which was even more fine by Severus. Perhaps this mystery woman could push the bushy-haired girl from his mind completely? Merlin knew it was getting harder to distract himself from the girl. She had taken to treating him as she had before the Christmas kiss incident. He knew that her youthful crush was simply ebbing and that he should be grateful. And yet, a dark part of him wished a moment that the crush had continued. He had enjoyed the attention (not that he'd admit it).

Thoughts of Hermione and then of the Valentine evening started jumbling about in his head and suddenly he found himself with a very stiff prick and a desperate desire to do something about it.

He didn’t know if it was the drink or just the desire for something carnal that made him take up his quill.  But he did just that, summoning his ink pot and parchment from the other room and writing hurriedly, until his spidery scrawl took up the entire sheet.


End file.
